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Concerning the Service that Mephostophiles
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Concerning the Service that Mephostophiles
Used Toward Faustus
VII
Doctor Faustus having with his own blood and in his own hand committed such an abomination unto the spirit, it is certainly to be assumed that God and the whole Heavenly Host did turn away from him. He dwelt in the house of his good Wittemberg kinsman, who had died and in his testament bequeathed it to Doctor Faustus. With him he had a young schoolboy as famulus, a reckless lout named Christoph Wagner. Doctor Faustus' game well pleased Wagner, and his lord also flattered him by saying he would make a learned and worthy man of him. A tune like that appealed to him (youth being always more inclined toward wickedness than toward goodness).
Now Doctor Faustus, as I said, had no one in his house save his famulus and his spirit Mephostophiles, who, in his presence, always went about in the form of a friar, and whom Doctor Faustus conjured in his study, a room which he kept locked at all times. Faustus had a superfluity of victuals and provisions, for when he desired a good wine the spirit brought it to him from whatever cellars he liked (the Doctor himself was once heard to remark that he made great inroads on the cellar of his Lord Elector of Saxony as well as those of the Duke of Bavaria and the Bishop of Saltzburg). He likewise enjoyed cooked fare every day, for he was so cunning in sorcery that when he opened a window and named some fowl he desired, it came flying right in through the window. His spirit also brought him cooked meat of a most princely sort from the courts of the nobility in all territories round about. The fabrics for his apparel and that of his boy (he went sumptuously attired) the spirit also had to buy or steal by night in Nuremberg, Augsburg or Frankfurt. A similar injury was done the tanners and cobblers. In sum, it was stolen, wickedly borrowed goods, so that Doctor Faustus' meat and clothing was very respectable, but godless. Indeed Christ our Lord doth through John call the Devil a thief and a murderer, and that is what he is.
The devil also promised to give Faustus twenty-five Crowns a week, which amounts to 1, 300 Crowns a year, and that was his year's emolument.
Concerning Doctor Faustus' Intended
Marriage
VIII
While he lived thus day in and day out like an Epicure--or like a sow--with faith neither in God, Hell nor the Devil, Doctor Faustus' aphrodisia did day and night so prick him that he desired to enter matrimony and take a wife. He questioned his spirit in this regard, who was to be sure an enemy of the matrimonial estate as created and ordained by God.
The spirit answered: Well, what is thy purpose with thyself? Viz., had Faustus forgot his commitment, and would he not hold to the promise wherein he had vowed enmity to God and mankind? If so, then neither by chance nor by intent dare he enter matrimony.
For a man cannot serve two masters (spake the devil), God and us, too. Matrimony is a work of the Lord God. We, who take our profit from all that pertains to and derives from adultery and fornication, are opposed to it. Wherefore, Fauste, look thou to it: shouldst thou promise to wed, thou shalt then most assuredly be torn into little pieces by us. Sweet Fauste, judge for thyself what unquiet, antipathy, anger and strife result from matrimony.
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Doctor Faustus considered various sides of the matter, his monk constantly presenting objections. At last he said: Well, I will wed, let come of it what may!
When Faustus had uttered this resolve, a storm wind did fall upon his house and seemed about to destroy it. All the doors leapt from their hooks, and at the same instant his house was quite filled with heat, just as if it were about to burn away into pure ashes. Doctor Faustus took to his heels down the stair, but a man caught him up and cast him back into the parlor with such a force that he could move neither hand nor foot. Round about him everywhere sprang up fire. He thought he would be burned alive, and he screamed to his spirit for help, promising to live in accordance with every wish, counsel and precept. Then the Devil himself appeared unto him, so horrible and malformed that Faustus could not look upon him.
Satan said: Now tell me, of what purpose art thou?
Doctor Faustus gave him short answer, admitting that he had not fulfilled his promise in that he had not deemed it to extend so far, and he did request Grace.
Satan answered him equally curtly: Then be henceforth steadfast. I tell thee, be steadfast
After this, the spirit Mephostophiles came to him and said unto him: If thou are henceforth steadfast in thy commitment, then will I tickle thy lust otherwise, so that in thy days thou wilt wish naught else than this--namely: if thou canst not live chastely, then will I lead to thy bed any day or night whatever woman thou seest in this city or elsewhere. Whosoever might please 
thy lust, and whomever thou might desire in lechery, she shall abide with thee in such a figure and form.
Doctor Faustus was so intrigued by this that his heart trembled with joys and his original proposal rued him. And he did then come into such libidinousness and debauchery that he yearned day and night after the figure of the beautiful women in such excellent forms, dissipating today with one devil and having another on his mind tomorrow.
Doctor Faustus' Questio
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